Guest Book

Best decision we made in Egypt

"I know it has all been said before by previous reviewers but I feel compelled to repeat and endorse the compliments. We are extremely well travelled spending at least 4 months of the year travelling all over the world so are not easily impressed.

My partner and I were planning to stay at a more upmarket hotel on the Nile as we were only staying 2 nights and thought it would be easier. Once we saw the reviews of Mara House on TripAdvisor we started to rethink. After a few email exchanges with Mara I knew that this was where we had to stay.

The personalised service begins from the first email. She immediately offered suggestions on our every option for the trip. She totally gets it. She offers tours (without being pushy) and also advice for those who would prefer to do things on their own.

At first I thought the price of the accommodation might be a bit high as there are hotels with pools available for not a lot more money. However with Mara there are no hidden extras. Her drinks are very reasonably priced - in the hotels the prices are extortionate. And boy do you have to drink a lot of liquids in Luxor. She sells a 1.5 ltr bottle of water for 3 Egyptian - the same price as the supermarket. The hotels charge at least 5 times that. Wi-fi is free too.

The location as mentioned by others is a little unusual on arrival - it is not Beverley Hills - but this is Egypt and it is totally safe and hassle free to walk around.

The building itself from the outside doesn't look special but once you walk through the door you see it is more boutique hotel than guesthouse. Beautiful decor.

Mara greeted us and treated us like we were old friends. She gave us great attention and answered all our questions in a very knowledgeable and helpful manner. The rooms are in fact apartments - very spacious and comfortable with separate living room and balcony.

The staff are extremely attentive - even came to the phone shop with us to help us through the burocracy of buying an Egyptian SIM card. The day after we arrived Mara went to Ireland to visit family but her staff kept up the same level of service.

We took two tours organised by Mara. At first I thought the prices a little high but as I said before - with Mara there are no hidden extras. All the entry fees to temples and tombs (which are not cheap!) are included. Most of what you are paying is to cover these fees. The drivers are courteous and the guides knowledgeable and the most important thing for us is that unlike most guides all over the world they don't take you to shops.

Mara also has a folder of useful information and recommendations which cover most things you would want to know. Her restaurant recommendations were spot on. Whenever you need to go anywhere she will organise a taxi within 10 minutes at a fixed reasonable price. She or her manager are always at the other end of the phone to send a taxi to pick you up.

Her restaurant isn't open every night - seems to depend on the number of guests. But she will let you know if it is going to be open. Don't miss it. It is an incredible feast. Don't eat too much during the day so that you have a good appetite for this banquet. And the restaurant itself has beautiful decor.

Once you leave the oasis of Mara House and venture into the touristy neighbourhoods Luxor is a total hassle. Everybody is on the make and they are annoyingly persistent. Understandable at one of the worlds top tourist attractions in such a poor place.

Mara also has 2 self-catering apartments in downtown Cairo where we are staying now. A very different experience from Mara House but it is perfect for us. She organises tours and transfers here in Cairo as well.

Even though she has now gone to Ireland she keeps her Egyptian phone switched on in case we need anything. Saved our lives the other night when we needed to know where we could buy some cold beer.

Thank you so much for everything Mara. Go raibh maith agat! Shokran. You are a great reason for us to return to Egypt."

Top care and service



"First time in Egypt for us. Mara sorted every detail out for us. We chose her Meritataten package, basically Western Valley tombs and temples one day, then Dendara and Abydos next day. Guide, driver and A/C minibus for our exclusive use.

Then we opted for one day in Cairo, one of Mara's package deals. Pyramids and Cairo Museum. Again, you are picked up from the airport, taken to the apartment, and next morning the guide arrives. Everything is made so easy. We stayed overnight in her large, luxury apartment near Tahrir Square. It is in an iconic Art Deco building right in the centre. An experience in itself.

Even though it was Friday and some protesters were beginning to assemble peaceably, we crossed the square and never once felt in the slightest danger. We had some fascinating conversations about the elections and life in Egypt today. Both guides were excellent.

The sites were quite empty because many tourists on the Cruise boats were staying away. We didn't have to queue for anything. Now is a great time to go.

Back in Luxor, Mara is keen that you don't get hassled, so you can be sure that your guide will not take you to see his cousin's shop or any of the other scams that go on. Her guides know this and approve of this as they want to see the tourist experience improve.

We chose to use a caleche (horse and carriage) all the time we were there and, basically, for about £12 (English) you have his services for the day. The guy we used (recommended by Amr, Mara's manager) was a great character and so obliging. We really enjoyed being able to see the world going on around us and he would occasionally stop off at the horse feed stall in the market en route to top up the stock of green stuff for his horse. You felt you were really a part of the daily life.

Tipping was a concern for us. We knew it was expected, but had no clue as to when or how how. Mara's website has a page on this and it was very useful.

Likewise, we were worried about getting the dreaded upset stomach. This also was catered for as we picked up some tablets on day one and never had to use them.

The whole tipping thing is a complex issue to do with the way that the local economy works, which I won't go into here, but look at Mara's website and there is some useful information there.

The accommodation (our suite) was very comfortable. Big bedroom, lounge with balcony, air conditioning, big fridge with water, beer, wine, etc all at normal local prices so you felt you could just take what you needed and not be concerned about the budget. This is the Mara trademark. She is giving you the experience you would like to have if you could do it yourself.

I could go on. So many things to make your life run smoothly. You only had to ask. In fact if they thought you were unsure about how to get somewhere, then Amr would just go with you to make sure you were ok.

You are, however, in Luxor, not out in some large hotel complex. You will hear the Call to prayer from the mosque a street or two away. You will see people who appear to have few material possessions in the same street, but it is safe. We thought nothing of walking through the town in the evening. It is a great experience if you want to feel what living in Luxor is like.

I can't recommend this enough. If you aren't sure what to do, let them suggest a restaurant or a trip. You won't regret it."

Best experience in Egypt

"We recently spent a quick weekend in Cairo and Luxor and had the privilege of staying at the Mara House. Having spent the previous couple of nights in a 5 star hotel in Cairo, we were interested to see what it would be like shifting to guest house in Luxor.

We were greeted with some fantastic hospitality and a wonderfully comfortable stay in a great little place. Mara was away at the time, however Amr did everything possible to ensure that we fully enjoyed our time there at Mara House. The rooms were very comfortable and facilities were great.

The rooftop terrace was a nice little place to hang out in the afternoons, while the restaurant served us with a multi-coursed treat in the evening. The sitting room was also a cosy little place for a wine/beer/tea and chat with friends in the evening (both before and after dinner).

I couldn't rate this place high enough, as it has gone on to being one of our favourite placeas to stay anywhere in the world. I hope you too get the chance to enjoy."

Charming gem

"Mara's house is the perfect hotel to experience the "real. Egypt". The accommodations were spacious, beautifully appointed and very clean. Location was perfect. Tours are available with Mara's wonderful guidance. One must do...ride thru the markets aboard a Calish. Mara will help arrange for an insightful and safe ride at a very reasonable price. From your balcony you can see and hear all the wonderful daily sounds of the remarkable Luxox..you will remember this stay fondly."

Best place we stayed during our vacation!

"What did I like most about Mara House:
1. It is located in an Egyptian neighborhood a short distance from the tourist area.
2. It has excellent service.
3. Very clean and comfortable.
4. Mara is a wonderful hostess. She can help with tours or just information if you want to see the sights on your own.
5. Wonderful restaurant.

If you want a "sterile" hotel experience where you can hardly even tell which country you are in, stay in a large resort by the Nile. If you are lucky, they may even charge you American/European prices for food and tours, so you really feel at home. If you want see the real Egypt and experience the local culture at a very comfortable, clean, reasonably priced hotel that has free wifi, excellent personalized service and great food stay at Mara House.

As soon as we arrived Mara and her staff greeted us and brought in our luggage. We were offered a refreshment and Mara sat down with us to go over our plans for Luxor. We planned to sight see on our own so she provided us with maps and advice. We walked all over the East Bank by ourselves and felt very safe. She arranged for a taxi for us for the day to see the West Bank at a very reasonable price. The room was large and comfortable. I had the best sleep of the whole trip here. There was plenty of hot water and wifi signal in most of the room.

There is also a beautiful rooftop deck that you can enjoy. We had our laundry done which was very reasonably priced. We gave it to them the night we arrived and the next afternoon it was folded and returned to our room.

We were fortunate to be able to eat at the restaurant Salahadeen for 2 of the 3 nights we were there. The quality of the food was excellent and very delicious. We were served 2 different soups to start which were great. Then you are served a large tray with at least 15 different dishes. These included both meat and vegetarian dishes, rice, potatoes and various dips and a large basket of flat breads. There is something for everyone! There was so much food my husband and I could not finish it. This was followed by desert which was a scoop of ice cream with fresh fruit and tea. Not only is the food delicious but the service is excellent. All of this is served in a very beautiful, relaxing dining room with Egyptian furnishings. I really like to stress the great service at Mara house because that was something I found, overall, in short supply during this trip.

I was supposed to come the previous year but due to the revolution I had to postpone the trip. I had emailed Mara many times prior to arriving, asking for advice about the current situation and she was a great help giving me the information that I needed. Not only is she helpful and professional but she is a very interesting woman. Meeting her and staying at Mara house was definitely the highlight of our trip to Egypt. "